Jeremy Bowen joins Land's End to John O'Groats cycling challenge

No stranger to challenging situations, BBC Special Correspondent Jeremy Bowen joins the Land’s End to John O’ Groats Eye Cycle ride to raise money for vital research into the causes of sight loss.

Taking time out from filming, Jeremy joined the Eye Cycle team on the fourth day of their challenge through the hilly but scenic West Country.  He said of the challenge: “I would love to have joined the team for the whole journey. It is such a unique way to see the UK and a really fantastic opportunity to raise much-needed funds for eye research.

"Every day 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. The research funded by Fight for Sight is so important for reducing this shocking statistic and for preventing blindness and eye disease in the future. I had a great day in a beautiful part of the world”.

The Eye Cycle team which includes actor Lloyd Hutchison, jeweller Alex Monroe and scientist John Greenwood, began their gruelling challenge on Thursday July 1 and aim to reach John O’ Groats by July 14.

John, a professor at University College London's Institute of Ophthalmology, and Alex who has suffered from sight problems in the past, are both aware of the impact that eye disease can have and wanted to do something practical to support Fight for Sight's research programme.

Alex said: "After months of training we are delighted to be on the road at last. 1,000 miles is a long way but we are spurred on by the donations that are pouring in for much-needed eye research.

"One in six of us will lose our sight during our lifetime and I personally have suffered severe eye illness at times during my career, so Fight for Sight is a cause close to my heart. Together the team hopes to raise a significant amount of money and awareness for Fight for Sight and have a real adventure in the process."

Jeremy is one of a number of friends and supporters who will join the Eye Cycle team on their way north including abstract artist Mark Francis, who also designed the team’s Eye Cycle t-shirt.

Annu Mayor, Director of Fundraising at Fight for Sight, said: "It is thanks to the hard work and commitment of supporters like Alex, Lloyd and John that we are able to fund much-needed research into the causes of sight loss. We are so grateful to the team for their hard work and wish them the best of luck for their gruelling challenge."

To sponsor the Eye Cycle team go to http://www.justgiving.com/EyeCycle.

To find out more about the challenge, see http://eyecycle.fightforsight.org.uk.

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For more information
call Louise Elliott at Fight for Sight on 020 7929 7755
or email press@fightforsight.org.uk.

Note for Editors:
Fight for Sight is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to funding world-class research into the prevention and treatment of blindness and eye disease.

Since 1965, the charity has funded research at leading universities and hospitals throughout the UK. Our major achievements in this time include:
- saving the sight of thousands of premature babies through understanding and controlling levels of oxygen delivery;
- restoring sight by establishing the UK Corneal Transplant Service enabling over 48,000 corneal transplants to take place;
- revolutionising the treatment for children with amblyopia (lazy eye);
- bringing hope to children with inherited eye disease by helping fund the team responsible for the world’s first gene therapy clinical trial; and
- providing £1million for the research unit at the dedicated children’s eye centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

The charity’s current research programme focuses on age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataract and the causes of childhood blindness.